Pat Fish was working as a journalist when she decided to look into her family heritage. Adopted and raised by a Russian couple, she discovered she is actually of Scottish descent. Soon after she uncovered her genetic roots, Fish decided to get out of writing and into tattooing. Her chosen genre was a bit of a no-brainer. "My bloodline is primarily Celtic and Pictish, and I am delighted that this race of people -- many of whom were mercenaries -- were known for being heavily tattooed," says Fish, now fifty-six years old and proprietor of Tattoo Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara, California. "It's a tattoo tradition that is lost."

Or, more precisely, was lost. Fish does her best to keep the tradition alive. "I travel in England and Ireland, taking photos and doing rubbings of Celtic and Pictish symbols," she says. "Then it's my job to make a tattoo out of the photo or rubbing. This is my genetic art form,, and I like being somebody who brings it to the forefront. When people come to me for Celtic crosses, I try to give them additional options that they hadn't considered."